Jou-chan's Rescue (temporary title)
by Shadowess
Summary: Kaoru falls into the river and Sano jumps in to save her, but is he too late to tell her how he really feels about her?


Jou-chan's Rescue  
  
This is my second RK fic. But my first Kaoru + Sano fic, so please be kind. Also this isn't the final  
title, (cuz I think it's stupid) if you have any suggestions please email me.   
Standard disclaimers apply, I don't own the characters of RK, so don't sue.  
Visit My RK Homepage @ http://kenshins_realm.tripod.com  
Send Comments to kenshins_realm@hotmail.com  
  
Sano, with a bucket full of tofu, walked down the street with Kaoru.  
"Thank you Sanosuke for coming with me to the market."  
"No problem Jou-chan, so how is Kenshin feeling?"  
"Better, Megumi said it was a flu and he should be back to his normal self in a few days. I hope she's  
right."  
"Oh don't worry Jou-chan, Kenshin is a fighter and he won't fall to a silly flu."  
"I know, just I worry about him."  
"I sometimes worry too." Kaoru smiled up at Sano.  
"Funny way of showing it, you are always eager to go off and fight." Sano shrugged.  
"So Jou-chan what are you going to kill us with tonight?" Kaoru stopped on the bridge.  
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sano grinned.  
"Nothing."  
"Sanosuke!" and Kaoru's bokken appeared out of thin air and she smashed Sano over the head with it.  
"Come on Sano we can't always depend on Kenshin."  
"Yeah I know." Sano rubbed the multiple bumps on his head.  
  
"Hey someone stop that man! He stole my wallet!" A middle aged man called out on the other side of  
the bridge. A younger man came rushing across the bridge. Kaoru stepped forward to intercept him,  
the man kept running and body checked Kaoru. She was caught off guard and lost her balance and fell  
onto the railing. With the force of the blow Kaoru's back snapped the old wood railing and she fell  
over the side of the bridge into the cold and rushing waters of the river. Sano meanwhile grabbed the  
man and knocked him out.  
"Sano!!!" Kaoru yelled as she went over the edge.  
"Jou-chan? Oh my god." Sano dropped the man and jumped over the edge after Kaoru.  
  
Kaoru thrashed wildly in the water, her kimono weighed her down and the fast current was trying to  
pull her under.  
"Help!" She spat out some water that got into her mouth. She splashed around and tried to make it to  
the bank. Sano swam with the current after Kaoru.  
"Kaoru hold on." Sano neared Kaoru who was madly struggling to stay above water. She saw Sano  
and reached out to him. Then she went under.  
"No Kaoru!" Sano swam after her. He dove under the water trying to find her. Finally he grabbed the  
bow of her kimono and pulled her above water. He pulled her to the side of the bank. Other people  
from the bridge had run along the banks hoping to help. A few young men helped Sano pull Kaoru's  
limp body from the river. Sano panted along side Kaoru.  
"She's not breathing!" A young woman screamed. Sano's head shot up.  
"What?" He scurried over to Kaoru's side. He rolled her onto her side and opened her mouth. He  
gasped as he felt her face. It was ice cold and her lips were blue. Sano rolled her back onto her back  
and checked to see if she was breathing.  
"No Kaoru, please breath." He leaned down and started to give her mouth to mouth*. He checked  
her breath. Nothing.  
"No Jou-chan you can't leave us alone, we need you." He continued breathing into her. He checked  
again. Nothing.  
"Kaoru, I need you. Please don't leave me." He tried again and again and still nothing.  
"Sir give up, she's gone." A man behind Sano said gently and pulled back on Sano's arms. Sano  
shrugged him off.  
"No, Kaoru's a fighter she won't die this easily, I won't let her!" Sano returned to Kaoru, still she  
didn't breath. Sano had tears in his eyes.  
"Dammit Kaoru! Breath!" He brought his fist down on her chest.  
"I love you." He lowered his head down to her and started to cry on her chest. Kaoru's chest started  
to move. Sano sat up.  
"What?" Kaoru started to cough up water. Sano helped her roll onto her side to spit out the water.   
Slowly colour came back to Kaoru's face.  
"Sano?" Kaoru called out horsey.  
"Yeah Jou-chan I'm here." She took his hand and pulled him in for a big hug.  
"Thank you for saving me." Sano smiled. The crowd left knowing that Kaoru was alright.  
"I love you Kaoru." Kaoru stiffened for a moment. She pulled back from the hug.  
"What?" She said slowly. Sane smiled gently.  
"I know you heard me Jou-chan. But you don't have to worry, I won't step on Kenshin's feet."  
"Sano? What do you mean?" Kaoru let go of Sano.  
"Well Kaoru, everyone knows that you love Kenshin, and that he loves you. Just when I almost lost  
you today, I just realized that I wouldn't want to live without you. But I would rather have you as a  
friend than nothing at all. I know what Kenshin means to you and I know I will never be the one you  
love. I just wanted you to know." Sano stood up and helped Kaoru stand.  
"Sano, I-" Sano put his fingers to her lips.  
"Shh, don't worry about it, it will make me happy to know that you are happy. Kenshin's my best  
friend and so are you. Kenshin deserves you more than I do. Let's just leave it at that. Please."  
"But Sano,"  
"It's alright Jou-chan, your smile is good enough for me. Just always smile for me."  
"Alright." Kaoru smiled.  
"Thank you." Sano smiled back "Oh and Kaoru, please don't tell Kenshin how I feel."  
"Sure." Kaoru took a step towards Sano and gave him a big hug.  
"Thank you again for saving me."  
"Like you said we can't always depend on Kenshin." Kaoru smiled. She broke the hug from Sano  
and looked at him for a moment. Then she lifted herself up on her tippy-toes and gave Sano a brief kiss  
on the lips.  
"Let's go get some more tofu for dinner. I'll even make you a something special for saving me today."   
Sano wrinkled his nose.  
"Do you have to?" Kaoru smacked him in the arm.  
"Baka!"  
  
*I don't know if the idea of mouth to mouth was around back then, or if it was that Sano would know  
how to do it...but hey it's a fanfic so it's my rules... 


End file.
